Hippos Sussita Mosaics

With Clyde Billington

Hippos/Sussita, one of the New Testament cities of the decapolis, is the home to at least a half dozen Byzantine churches which have been, or are being, excavated. The latest report from these excavations concerned beautiful mosaics found in one of the churches. The mosaics, among other things, portray Jesus and the feeding of the 5,000, which occurred (somewhere) nearby. We discuss this discovery and others that have been reported in the latest issue of ARTIFAX, our biblical archaeology news magazine, including a beautiful staircase at Hazor which is believed to lead to a plaza and a palace. Then there's the Goliath Wall at Gath, a massive city wall from the time of David and Goliath that is twice as thick as the later walls that were excavated on top of it. And finally, year-round excavations have begun at Assos, a city along the coast of western Turkey that was visited by the Apostle Paul (Acts 20:13). Archaeologists have been working here for 38 years, but are now picking up the pace, to make the site more interesting to visitors.

tags: Gath Mosaics Hippos Sussita Byzantine Churches Hazor Goliath Feeding 5000 Wal Assos staircase

Room of the Last Supper and the Sons of Immer

With Clyde Billington

More discussion of biblical archaeology digest news items from the latest issue of ARTIFAX, our biblical archaeology news magazine: Room of the Last Supper - a laser scan of this medieval construction which commemorates the Upper Room has revealed faded artwork on the walls. Another biblical name has been found on a clay seal impression. The bulla says, "Belonging to Ga'alyahu, son of Immer." The family of Immer is widely attested in the Bible, particularly Jeremiah 20:1. 3D photography has also been used to preserve the excavated remains of a 9,000-year old Neolithic settlement discovered just 3 miles west of Jerusalem at Motza junction. A Watchtower in the Negev desert has been excavated by volunteers from IDF paratroopers.

tags: Seal Bulla Negev Cenacle Last Supper Upper Room Immer Ga'alyahu Motza Watchtower paratroopers

Caesarea & the Tsunami

With Clyde Billington

More on the latest in biblical archaeology from the news digests of the autumn issue of ARTIFAX magazine: The IAA is going to investing more money to excavate and reconstruct the city of Caesarea Maritima, the seaport that Herod built on the Mediterranean shore, where visitors can already see impressive remains, including a Roman aquedect, a Roman theater, the remains of Herod’s palace, Crusader walls, etc. We also discuss an archaeologists theories about an ancient tsunami that may have struck the Levantine coast, with ties to a biblically recorded earthquake, plus an explanation of why the story of the biblical judge Othniel contains evidence that supports the early date of the Exodus. All of this discussed with professor Clyde Billington, my co-editor at ARTIFAX magazine.

tags: Temple Menorah Exodus Caesarea tsunami earthquake Augustus Othniel Mitanni

Walls of Jerusalem - Jebusite and Roman

With Clyde Billington

News stories about the walls of Jerusalem, reported in the latest issue of ARTIFAX magazine, include stories about the discovery of two triclinia (banquet rooms), along the western wall of the Temple Mount; the discovery of the location where the Romans breached the “Third Wall” during the first Jewish revolt; and new information about the Middle Bronze Age fortifications built by the Jebusites around the Gihon Spring.

tags: Jerusalem Temple Mount Western Wall Jebusites Romans Triclinium Walls

Hyrcanus Inscription and The Thinker

With Clyde Billington

More stories from the news digests of the latest issue of ARTIFAX magazine, including inscriptions that name a newly discovered Roman governor of ancient Judea, and that connect to the ruling family of the Hasmonean period. An inscription naming Gargilius Antiquus was found in the harbor of Dor, indicating that he was probably the governor of the Roman province of Judea when the second Jewish revolt broke out. An inscription, "Hyrcanus," was found in the massive Givati Parking Lot excavation just outside the walls of Jerusalem. It is probably one or the other John Hyrcanus, from the Hasmonean lineage of the 1st and 2nd centuries BC. "The Thinker" is the name given to the figure of a man found sitting atop a pot dating to around 1800 BC, the patriarchal period. The man is shown deep in thought. And finally mention of some of the finds from last summer's Gezer excavation

tags: Gezer Gargilius Dor Roman governor Hyrcanus Hasmonean Givati parking lot thinker pendant Bronze Age gate